HV 5183 

,B8 




;IBLE AND DRINK. 



A. DEFENSE 



OF 



TEMPERATE DRINKING. 



"FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS." 



BY 



SHELDON" BUCKINGHAM, 

OF FRANKLINVILLE, N. J. 
AUTHOR OF "BIBLE TEMPERANCE," ETC. 




PHILADELPHIA: 

3ELHEIMER & HOORE, PRINTERS, N. W. COR. FIFTH AND CHESTNUT STREETS 

1875. 




BIBLE AND DRINK. 



A. DEFENSE 



OF 



TEMPERATE DRINKING. 



"FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS." 




a * 



s BY 

SHELDON BUCKINGHAM, 

OF FRANKLINVILLE, N. J. 
AUTHOR OE " BIBLE TEMPERANCE," ETC. 

'fly 



1 



■ 



PHILADELPHIA: 

SELHEIMER & MOORE, PRINTERS, N. \V. COR. FIFTH AND CHESTNUT STREETS. 

1875. 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by 

SHELDON BUCKINGHAM, 
in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 






BIBLE AND DRINK. 



IUTKODUOTION. 

1. Believing it incumbent on all people to glorify God by a 
righteous life; being desirous of promoting temperance; believing 
that many have monstrously blundered and erred by a warfare 
against moderate drinking; having been observant of the whole 
rise and progress of said warfare; being a plain farmer, now past 
the septuagenarian age, " therefore, I said — I also will show mine 
opinion." 

2. In entering upon the discussion of the temperance question, 
let it be understood, that the Bible is the perfect rule of right, 
relative to all the conduct of mankind; and hence that it is the 
duty of all people to observe its precepts. 

3. The design of these pages is, to incline people to take the 
Bible for their rule of action in relation to temperance; and to 
uphold the right of private interpretation of the scriptures, includ- 
ing the right of private judgment in all matters of conscience; and 
to refute the arguments and ultra doctrines of those who antagonize 
a temperate use of all alcoholic beverages. 

4. We hold temperate drinking to be for man's best interest, 
and in accord with the scriptures; and that the making, selling 

.and drinking are all on a level; so that if any one of them is right, 
then all of them are right. All intemperate drinking is very 
wrong; and no manufacturing or vending is right, except when 
conducted in strict honesty. 

5. By the terms temperate drinking and moderate drinking, 
each, is meant the occasional drinking a little of some kind of 
alcoholic beverage (beer, cider, wine or spirits, &c.) as is for a 
person's health and enjoyment; when such person can reasonably 
afford it, and can reasonably obtain it. In such case, if there is 
no just hindrance, it becomes a duty so to drink, and to be thankful 
to God for the privilege. If any have so vitiated their appetites 
by drink, that they cannot drink any alcoholic beverage without 
drinking to excess, then they should entirely abstain from such 
beverage. 

6. We recognize the great mass of the people as consisting of 
three distinct classes: the temperate, intemperate, and abstinents 
or teetotalers. A large part (probably a majority) of the latter 
class are ultra teetotalers, who aim at entire prohibition of the 
sale of alcoholic beverages. Such ultras we particularly regard 
as our opponents; and one of their greatest errors, we think, is 



their opposing and denouncing the temperate as being as bad or 
worse than the intemperate. 

7. We have no apology or justification to offer in behalf of those 
who are intemperate, nor for those who retail intoxicants to known 
ebriates; nor to those who manufacture or who sell intoxicants 
inconsistent with good civil regulations and morals. All such, we 
believe, ought to be deservedly punished. 

WOES AGAINST DEUHKABDS. 

8. In every instance recorded in Holy Writ of a person's being 
drunk, some serious evil was the certain consequence. See Gen. 
ix, 21; xix, 32; 2 Sam. xi, 13; 1 Ki. xvi, 9; Dan. v. The Bible 
contains many awful denunciations against the intemperate, and 
for those who die drunkards there is no hope. "Woe unto them 
that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong 
drink; that continue until night till wine inflame them." — Isa. v, 
11, 12. [In this case we note that the wine and the strong drink 
were both one thing.] 

9. "Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of 
strength to mingle strong drink.' ' — Isa. v, 22. "Woe . . . to the 
drunkards of Ephraim . . . the drunkards of Ephraim shall be 
trodden under foot." — Isa. xxvii, 1. "The drunkard . . . shall 
come to poverty." — Prov. xxiii, 26. "Nor drunkards . . . shall 
inherit the kingdom of God." — 1 Cor. vi, 10. 

10. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever 
is deceived thereby is not wise." "Look not thou upon the wine 
when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth 
itself aright." — Prov. xx, 1; xxiii, 31. By comparing these texts 
with other scripture, we find that the caution is simply, look not 
on the wine viciously, or as Benson's Com. says, "as a man should 
not look upon a woman;" and that we should avoid ebriety. That 
nothing more than this is meant is evident, from the fact that red 
was the color of their best wines, (see Gen. xl, 11; Deut. xxxii, 14; 
Isa. xxvii, 2 ;) and from the fact that they were required to use 
wine every day in their sacrifices, and especially in their three 
great annual feasts ; wine could not have been so used without its 
being looked at. These liquors should never be used except with 
due care, and then no evil will result. 

11. Our Saviour says, "take heed to yourselves, lest at anytime 
your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness." 
Due heed to these words would prevent all intemperance. 

PEEMEBTED LIQTJOBS ALLOWED. 

12. We purpose to review the principal reasons offered by ultra 
abstinents against a moderate use of alcoholic beverages; and we 
commence with their oft-repeated assertion that the scriptures do 
not allow the drinking of any fermented liquor. 



13. We read: "Thou shalt bestow that money ... for oxen, 
or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink." — Deut. xiv, 26. 
Here we find authority for making, vending and drinking fermented 
liquors. For they could not be bought unless sold, nor sold with- 
out making; and they were in this ease purchased in large part 
for drinking. 

14. We suppose the term strong drink (shecar) in the Bible 
includes all the intoxicating liquors then used in the Hebrew country, 
except those made from grapes. The Hebrews made a great many 
kinds of strong drink ; some of them like " wine of pomegranates," 
being indifferently denoted by terms signifying both wine and strong 
drink. All the old Bible commentators have considered strong 
drink to be fermented liquor : in this sense it was nearly universally 
uuderstood till the warfare against the temperates commenced. 

WINES POK TITHES AND OXTEKINGS. 

15. The good wine used in their religious offerings was required 
to be strong wine, and therefore it was fermented. "In the holy 
place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord." 
— Num. xxiii, 7. A large portion of it was used for a beverage. 
"Thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, . . . the tithe of thy 
. . . wine." — Deut. xiv, 23. 

16. The strong wine and strong drink being the kind used for 
holy purposes, manifests that such was the best kind; for none but 
the best kind might be used in holy ordinances. And we here find 
that the traffic in and use of these strong liquors was not only 
approved, but was also commanded by the most High. 

17. Jewish ordinances are now superseded; notwithstanding this, 
we learn from the scripture cited, that the best kind of liquor is a 
fermented one, and that God approves of drinking it, just as clearly 
as if those ordinances were still in force; for there is no subsequent 
scripture to the contrary. 

WINE DEANK BY NEHEMIAH, 

18. The prophet Nehemiah hud prepared for himself, and those 
who ate at his table, "once in ten days, store of all sorts of wine." 
— Neh. v, 18. All sorts of wine must include fermented wine, and 
the probability is that is was nearly all fermented. Here again is 
positive and incontrovertible evidence, that holy people drank an 
alcoholic beverage, and that God approved it. 

WINES ON THE LEES. 

19. The "great prophet Isaiah in foretelling the gospel dispen- 
sation, in order to portray its excellence, takes for a simile, "a 
feast of fat things, of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, 
of wines on the lees well refined." — Isa. xxv, 6. "Wines on the 
lees well refined," can be no other than fermented wine. No doubt 



6 

the prophet here took the best of earthly products by which to 
represent the best of spiritual blessings, and a prominent part of 
it was a fermented wine beverage; thus proving again beyond con- 
troversy, that such a beverage is sanctioned by the Supreme Being. 

WISE PEEMENTIUG IN BOTTLES. 

20. Our Saviour, in stating that "new wine must be put into 
new bottles," (because fermentation would be like to break the old 
skin bottles,) referred to it just as if it was right to make and use 
fermented wine. He also showed his approval of drinking such 
wine by his making it for the wedding feast. — John ii, 3-10. All 
agree that fermented wine is denoted by the Greek term oinos, here 
translated wine. Nowhere in the old or new testament is it shown 
that only the unfermented was good wine. 

WISE FOE PEIESTS. 

21. The mosaic law required that the priests should be supplied 
with a wine beverage; but no priest was allowed to drink any while 
officiating at the altar. And this is one of the every day arguments 
against the use of fermented liquors. But since those priests were 
only interdicted from the use of wine when serving at the altar, 
which probably did not generally occupy them only about one-tenth 
of the time ; then it appears that the other nine-tenths of the time 
they might drink it. So that even in this case, concerning priests, 
temperate drinking is approved. 

WINE POE NAZAEITES. 

22. The requirement that Nazarites should not drink wine nor 
strong drink, is cited to prove fermented liquor drinking sinful. 
But we fail to find it proving anything of the kind. The Nazarites, 
till the term of their vow had expired, were forbidden not only 
wine and strong drink, but also vinegar, grapes and raisins, or to 
cut their hair, or to attend a funeral. — Num. vi, 3-5. When the 
term of their vow had expired they might "again drink wine," 
verse 20 ; doubtless of the same kind which had been forbidden 
them. The case of the Nazarites and the preceding one concerning 
priests prove nothing against an alcoholic beverage; but if, as our 
opponents claim, the interdiction of wine was because of its 
intoxicating quality, then the liberty given them to drink it, except 
during the time of interdiction, is conclusive testimony in favor of 
such beverage. 

DAVID'S WINE. 

23. David having such large quantities of wine as to enable him 
at one time to give a flagon "to each of all the multitude of Israel," 
(2 Sam. vi, 19; 1 Chron. xvi, 3;) and so as to require one of the 
chief officers of his kingdom to oversee his wine cellars, and his 



making Uriah drunk, and Hezekiah's building storehouses for wine, 
and the immense quantities sometimes used in the Jewish feasts and 
offerings, all indicate that their good wine was fermented. If they 
had kept such vast quantities of wine in an anfermented state, in 
those cellars and storehouses, there would most certainly have been 
some scriptural account of their manner of preserving it in such 
unfermented state. 

WINE POE PASSOVEE. 

24. From Josephus' war book, 6 ch. ix and xiv, we learn that the 
paschal lambs, at one time provided for one passover supper, 
amounted to two hundred and fifty-six thousand. These, at the 
required quantity of one-fourth hin each, (five quarts to the hin,) 
would amount to over eighty thousand gallons of wine, most of it 
to be religiously drank as a social cup, by divine appointment, at 
only one supper. And all this, compared with what they drank 
during the year, was probably but as one drink from the bucket. 
No wonder it was prophesied, " God give thee . . . plenty of . . . 
wine," "and with corn and wine have I sustained him," and again, 
u he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of 
grapes;" "his eyes shall be red with wine;" "the fountain of Jacob 
shall be upon a land of corn and wine." — Gen. xxvii, 28-37 ; xlix, 
ii, 12; Deut. xxxiii, 28. 

25. Since the passover occurred in the spring season, at least two 
months previous to the earliest vintage, it is incredible that such 
great quantities of wine could have been so long preserved from 
fermentation, since no account of how it was so preserved has 
come down to us in all sacred history. Hence it is also evident 
that our Saviour and the apostles drank fermented wine at the 
institution of the eucharist. 

WINE LEAVENED. 

26. The fact that leavened bread, and all leaven, was forbidden 
in celebrating the passover, is held by ultra abstinents as evincing 
that no wine but unfermented was ever allowed to be drank. True, 
leavened bread while fermenting (rising) generates alcohol. But 
neither leavened or unleavened contain alcohol when baked ; the 
leavened is then as free from it as the unleavened. Doubtless the 
reason why they were required to use unleavened bread was simply 
to show and commemorate the haste with which the Lord brought 
them forth from the Egyptians. 

27. Leaven was never applied to wine by the Hebrews, nor any 
other ancient people. In the Bible nothing is said about unleavened 
drink. If the use of unleavened bread proves anything in regard 
to wine, it proves altogether too much for our opponents. Leavened 
bread was explicitly required in some of their offerings; see Lev. 



8 

vii, 13; xxiii, 17; Amos iv, 5. Now, by parity of reasoning, it 
follows, that if only unfermented wine was allowed with unleavened 
bread, then fermented wine was allowed with leavened bread. What 
is said in the Bible about leaven, proves nothing either way about 
wine. 

28. Some of the Jews, of late years, have in their sacred feasts 
used raisin water in place of wine; but we cannot learn that such 
a practice ever prevailed till this century. Near forty years ago 
when, at the request of Delevan, the early missionaries made 
inquiries of the Jews in Palestine as to whether they used unfer- 
mented wine in their feasts, they could not at first understand what 
was meant by unfermented wine. They had never heard of any 
such thing. This fact makes it appear very unlikely that the 
Hebrews of Palestine had ever practised using unfermented wine 
in their feasts. According to the Talmud, they mixed their wine 
with water to make it less strong. 

THE ENGLISH BIBLE IS EELIABLE. 

29. Not a few ultra abstinents represent that our common Eng- 
lish version of the scriptures is so erroneously translated that it 
misleads people regarding temperance, not teaching a true temper- 
ance doctrine. This is alarming! If, as our opponents hold, 
moderate drinking is a fatal error, and if our Bible is leading us 
into such error, and is not to be relied on, then, indeed, we are in 
a sad condition: and what are we to do? Who that does not know 
the Hebrew, Chaldee and Greek, can tell what to believe? 

30. Our scriptures were translated and revised with the utmost 
caution and diligent care by forty-seven men, eminent for probity 
and lore regarding the original scripture language. Those forty- 
seven had assistance from many other eminent literary men, besides 
copies of some fifty to a hundred (perhaps many more) different 
former translations of the scriptures. [Those forty-seven regarded 
good wine as fermented liquor.] 

31. Therefore our common English version was translated by 
those good men with too much care — has endured the criticism of 
too many learned infidels — and during two hundred and sixty 
years has had the approval of too many scores of good men, who 
were learned in the original scripture language, to be now, in any 
essential point, repudiated at the ipse dixit of visionary enthusiasts. 
u My word shall stand." For our Bibles, let us all render hearty 
thanks to the Great Bestower. 

TIEOSH, YAYIE" AND SHEOAE. 

32. By leading ultra abstinent writers it is stated, that nine 
different Hebrew terms or words are translated wine in our common 
English Bibles — (we presume this is so,) — the chief of which are 
yayin, which is found one hundred and forty-one times; tirosh, 



9 

thirty -eight times; and shecar twenty-three times. These writers 
so construe the Hebrew terms as to endeavor (vainly, we think,) to 
prove that the Bible allows the use of no intoxicants. 

33. In comparing their writings with scripture, we find that no 
one of those words is used exclusively for wine that was devoted to 
a good purpose, and vice versa. The same terms that signify good 
wine for holy drink offerings are also used for that which is a 
mocker, and raging, etc. Thus, for proof, we read: "wine (yayin) 
is a mocker, strong drink (shecar) is raging." — Prov. xx, 1. "It is 
not for kings to drink wine, (yayin,) nor for princes strong drink," 
(shecar.) — Prov. xxxi, 4. As before noted, the priests were not 
allowed either yayin nor shecar when officiating at the altar; nor 
was the Nazarite. — Num. vi, 3. But we find that both yayin and 
shecar were used in holy ordinances and worship. — Ex. xxix, 40 ; 
Lev. xxiii, 13; Num. xv, 5; xxviii, 7. 

34. In regard to the term tirosh, it is most absurdly held by 
the foregoing writers that it never denotes wine, but always signifies 
vine fruit, (grapes,) a solid instead of a liquid. With what incon- 
sistency this claim is made is evinced by the following texts: "Thy 
presses shall burst out with new wine," (tirosh.) — Prov. iii, 10. 
"The stranger shall not drink thy wine," (tirosh.) — Isa. lxii, 8. 
"Whoredom, and wine and new wine (tirosh) take away the heart." 
— Hos. iv, 11. Thus we see that tirosh was wine, and would intoxi- 
cate. "The vats shall overflow with wine," (tirosh.) — Joel ii, 24. 

35. Every careful reader will see, at a glance, that each and all 
of the above terms, yayin, shecar and tirosh, denote intoxicating 
liquor. True, tirosh was trodden, (Mic. vi, 15,) but so was also 
yayin trodden. — Isa. xvi, 10. And even in the above passage, 
(Mic. vi, 15,) "thou shalt tread . . . sweet wine (tirosh) but shalt 
not drink wine," to every unbiassed reader it is clearly evident 
that it refers to a liquid. Thus we see that these abstinent writers, 
on the whole, utterly fail in their attempt to produce any Bible 
testimony against a fermented beverage. For they do not show 
that fermented wine was denoted by terms exclusively applied to 
fermented wine, nor that unfermented wine (musturn) was denoted 
by terms exclusively applied to mustum, or unfermented wine. 

ESHISHAH. 

36. The foregoing writers find the word eshishah four times; in 
three of which it is translated flagons of wine, and once flagon. 
Those writers insist that the true translation is "cakes of grapes." 
Thus, in Hos. iii, 1, "who look to other gods and love flagons of 
wine," they would read, "who look to other gods and love cakes of 
grapes." David dealt . . . among the whole multitude of Israel 
... to every one ... "a flagon of wine." — 2 Sam. vi, 19; see 
also 1 Chron. xvi, 3. Certainly the text and context do not show 
a probability that "cakes of grapes" should be substituted for 



10 

" flagons of wine." Some eminent Bible expositors have rendered 
it, "a gourd skin of fermented liquor." Now, if this latter trans- 
lation is the true one, (which is quite likely,) then it incontestibly 
establishes the point that the good wine of the Bible was a fer- 
mented liquor. Those christians who have understood the good 
Bible wines to be fermented liquors, have probably been, previous 
to the present century, more than a thousand to one of contrary 
opinion. The attempt on the part of abstinents to disparage our 
common English Bible, by changing the translation, in order to 
make it meet their ultra views, is an error of no small magnitude, 
and was apparently a desperate resort, taken because it was found 
that, by the common English translation, ultra abstinence could 
not be sustained. 

FEBMENTATION PUBIFIES. 

37. The fermentation of wine is a process which a wise Provi- 
dence has provided for cleansing and purifying the liquor. When 
the must is drank before fermentation the impurities which fermen- 
tation would carry off are likewise drank. Who that ever saw the 
nasty, filthy scam that wine and other liquors throw up and off by 
fermentation, can think such liquor (with all that filth remaining 
in it) most suitable for drinking? Away with such nonsense. 

BUTLEB'S DBEAM. 

38. In the story of Pharoah's butler's dream, (which is cited by 
our opponents as strong testimony against the use of fermented 
liquor,) that he pressed the grapes into the cup, (Gen. xl, 2,) 
throughout the whole narrative wine is not mentioned. At the 
most this was but a heathen's dream, the import of which the 
dreamer knew nothing. It is not possible to take the dream lite- 
rally, for it is said "the three branches are three days," and it can 
teach us nothing of the character of good wine. 

39. Pharoah dreamed that kine rose out of and came from the 
water, and that the lean consumed the fat kine. — Gen. xli, 2 — 4. 
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed he saw a tree whose height " reached 
unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth." — 
Dan. iv, 2. Now all these dreams were representative figures, well 
calculated, in their several cases, to afford instruction. But no 
person of common sense ever believed that these dreams became 
literal realities. Hence we find that the butler's dream affords no 
testimony against a fermented beverage. 

40. In order to learn what kind of beverage is allowable, we 
need to learn what is taught in the Bible, and what was the prac- 
tice of holy people. What was practiced by those who rejected 
the true God is not for us to imitate. It is not clear that holy 
people of the Bible drank any unfermented liquor which they 
called by a term denoting wine. 



11 

GOD FERMENTS LIQUOES. 

41. We frequently hear it stated that God never makes alcoholic 
liquor, that there is none in nature's works. Now this is an error; 
grapes often burst open on the vine and ferment. Here in West 
Jersey many pounds are lost every year by their bursting. In 
some countries of Europe, particularly in Hungary, the grapes 
will burst open if not picked in due season; while in some other 
countries they will dry on the vines without cracking open. In all 
cases when the grapes so burst open they will very soon ferment, 
unless the temperature of the air is too high or too low for fermen- 
tation to take place. 

42. It is a well known historical fact, that some persons have 
become partly or wholly intoxicated by picking up and eating such 
fermented grapes that had dropped from the vines. When grape 
juice is pressed out who ferments it? Sprely it is not man. In fact, 
in all common cases of fermentation, it is simply a providential 
course of nature. Fermentation is just as much the work of the 
Supreme Being as the making the grapes to grow. 

43. "The process by which the juice of grapes, apples, pears, 
&c, becomes an intoxicating drink, is as kindly and benevolently 
provided, as the process by which those fruits themselves come to 
maturity." — Die. of A. S. S. U. A large majority of the most 
learned Hebrew and Greek scholars regard the terms applied to 
the good wines of the Bible as generally denoting a fermented 
liquor. 

WINE OP DRAGONS. 

44. The figurative passage, Deut. xxxii, 33, so much cited by 
our opponents, every learned man well knows does not describe 
nor refer to any wine made from good grapes, or from any eatable 
fruit, and hence is not analogous to any common fermented wine. 
Therefore said passage can prove nothing against any good fer- 
mented beverage. 

VINE A MOCKER. 

45. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever 
is deceived thereby is not wise." "Look not thou upon the wine 
when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth 
itself aright." — Prov. xx, 1 ; xxiii, 31. Our opponents regard these 
texts as an interdict against any and every fermented beverage. 
We admit they are pertinent evidence against intemperance, and 
nothing more. But there is other scripture to be considered in 
this connection. 

46. We have sufficiently proved that the good wine of the Bible 
was fermented ; and the idea that these texts prove the contrary is 



12 

all conjecture. The same person who penned these texts, at one 
time bartered away one hundred and fifty thousand gallons of wine; 
and as chief executive officer it was his business to see that every 
morn and eve strong wine was offered at the altar. He also wrote, 
" drink thy wine with a merry heart." All which shows that he 
was in favor of temperate drinking, and opposed to all excess. 

47. Wine is a mocker only when misused. It did not mock when 
made and drank by our Saviour and the wedding party at Cana; 
nor when drank by him with publicans and sinners. It did not 
mock when strong wine was drank in celebrating the holy ordi- 
nances. It did not mock when all sorts of wine were drank by the , 
prophet Nehemiah and his associates. It did not mock when drank 
by Abraham, by Isaac, by Jacob, by Joseph and his brethren. It 
never mocks nor does strong drink rage, except when by perversion 
they are devoted to intemperance. Only then does wine deceive 
and strong drink rage; and then only do they bite like a serpent 
and sting like an adder. When properly used they are always 
beneficial. 

48. "There is nothing from without a man that entering into 
him can defile him." — Mark vii, 15. " A man hath ho better thing 
under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry." — Ecc. 
viii, 15. 

WINE NOT A POISON. 

49. Our opponents are in the habit of declaring alcohol and 
all alcoholic liquors deadly poisons. The celebrated Baron Liebig's 
writings are much cited by them for proof. We unhesitatingly 
admit that Liebig's professional writings are, as such, unequaled 
in excellence. What he says of alcohol we have no inclination to 
dispute. We care not in the present case whether alcohol is or is 
not a poison. Alcohol as known in commerce is not what people 
drink. The common alcoholic drinks are quite different from 
alcohol, although that is what renders those drinks intoxicating. 

50. Many suppose that because alcoholic liquors contain no 
nitrogen, and hence do not help to form bone and muscle, they 
must therefore always be injurious to the human system. This is 
an error. If alcohol is a poison, it does not necessarily follow 
that beer, wine and spirits are poisons. In chemistry it is often 
found that a poison, mixed with some other substance, (or even 
with another poison,) form a harmless compound. The gases which 
constitute both air and water, when in a separate state are 
destructive to life; but air and water are not poisons. And hence, 
though beer, wine, &c, contain alcohol, they may still be healthy 
food. 

LIEBIG ON LIQUOKS. 

51. The said Liebig has instructed us that "beer, wine and spirits 
are elements of respiration;" and that "man must have some 



13 

stimulant ;" and that "the nourishing properties of beer are . . . 
not greater than potatoes.'' Sugar and several other articles of 
food contain no nitrogen, and no more help to form bone and 
muscle than spiritous liquors. 

52. Now this class of food which, according to Liebig, supports 
respiration, is just as necessary as bread; and if beer nourishes as 
much as he represents, it is one of the best beverages known. Thus 
by our opponents own witness, we have proved that beer, wine and 
spirits conduce to life and health. 

53. A noted teetotal writer, concerning Liebig's statements, gave 
as the reason why "beer, wine and spirits are elements of respira- 
tion," is that they contain sugar and starch, &c. We care not 
why ; it is enough to known the fact that they are such elements, 
and consequently that they are healthful. 

54. Can that be a deadly poison which tens of thousands drink 
freely, sixty to ninety years, without ever knowing their health 
impaired by its use? The idea is preposterous in the extreme. 
Even ebriates sometimes live to a great age. It is certainly a 
fallacy to regard* a moderate use of wine poisonous. To hold wine 
to be poisonous is contrary to good sense and to scripture, which 
says, " with corn and wine have I sustained him." — Gen. xxvii, 37. 
Any article of common food is poisonous, or detrimental to health 
when used in excess, be it wine, beefsteak, coffee, &c. People can 
kill themselves by eating pastry or fruits, or even by drinking cold 
water. 

WELLS ON LIQUOKS. 

55. " The malt liquors all contain a certain quantity of nutri- 
tive matters, ... so that beer is, to a considerable extent, food 
as well as drink." — Wells' Chem. We can see no more moral 
right to prohibit by law the entire sale of liquor food than there 
is to prohibit by law the entire sale of other food. 

ST. PAUL ADVISES. 

56. Against moderate drinking are quoted the words of St. Paul, 
" it is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything 
whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." 
— Rom. xiv, 21. "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat 
no meat while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." 
— 1 Cor. viii, 13. In these texts St. Paul is clearly teaching, that 
we should not so behave as to lead any person through ignorance 
or mistake to do wrong. All persons, to the best of their ability, 
should so live as to light and lead others toward heaven. 

57. Dr. A. Clarke's comment meets our view in this case, where 
it reads, " though we are bound to take heed, that we put not a 



14 

stumbling block in the way of a weak brother; yet if such brother 
be stumbled at any part of our conduct, not blamable in itself, but 
of which he may have taken a wrong view, we are not answerable 
for the consequences. We are all called to walk by the testimony 
of God, and not according to the measure of any man's conscience, 
how sincere soever he may be." — {Clarke s Com., Vol. vi, p. 225.) 
Temperate drinking does not cause people through ignorance to 
stumble into drunkenness: for every person knows drunkenness to 
be wrong. 

58. St. Paul wrote, " every creature of God is good, and nothing 
to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving." — 1 Tim. iv, 4. 
Fermented wine is a " creature of God;" a great blessing. St. Paul 
says it "is good," and not "to be refused if it be received with 
thanksgiving." "In everything give thanks." Every person, in 
their daily walk, should manifest that they are thankful to God 
for all the blessings of life. 

59. Many people are opposed to the eating of flesh. Now 
suppose this feeling to be as prevalent as that against an alcoholic 
beverage, would it be incumbent on all people to abstain from 
eating flesh? Nobody of common sense would affirm this; and 
yet the scripture is the same regarding eating flesh as drinking 
wine. 

60. The question as to whether intoxicants might or not be 
drank, is not the subject on which St. Paul was writing; but it was 
in the Corinthian case concerning eating food sacrificed to idols ; 
and to the Romans, it was about wrangling disputes between the 
Jews and Gentiles at Rome, concerning Jewish rites. The Jews 
claiming that the mosaic law relative to feasts and eating was 
still to be observed; while, on the other hand, the Gentiles would 
pay no regard to it. This was when the church was in its infancy, 
and in great measure ignorant as to what really pertained to 
Christianity. Such facts should be borne in mind when considering 
St. Paul's writings. 

61. St. Paul in this connection writes, "who art thou that 
judgest another man's servant?" "Let us not therefore judge one 
another any more.'' Our opponents who continually belch out 
against us rankling censure, and bitter denunciation, may well 
seriously consider what St. Paul and our Saviour have said about 
uncharitably judging one another; and that not we alone but 
they also will be brought to judgment. 

62. The idea is not to be entertained, that St. Paul would have 
us believe that the holy Prophets and our Saviour, by their tem- 
perate drinking, were putting a stumbling block in the way of 
others, or were leading others to ebriety. And if they were not 
so leading, then a person now following their example is not so 
leading others to stumble nor to ebriety. The man who gets 



15 

( drunk must bear : no other person is liable for it unb 

crime or ne_ 
fov plain duty oi all 

gonable means in their power to pre 

60. From il'fl writings, altogether, it is manifest that 

was in favor of drinking, lie not drunk with 

wine wherein is e. — Eph. v, 18. Dri 1 drunkenr 

is going beyond moderation — beyond what tl 
therefore ; the Bible leading only to its mod 

ions must be "not given to much wine." — 1 
Tim. iii. 8. ^omen likewise, that they be . . . 

not given to much wine." — Titus ii, 3. And why not much": 
Because while drii :le wine is beneficial, mr !;in£ of 

it in e -ful. He al I Timothy to drink a little 

wine. — Tim. v. 23. 

64. If St. Paul should now, incarnate, revisit the earth, he wc 
make ulti inents ears tingle; when he saw them deny 
christian f ip and the holy eucharist to christians, denounc: 
them as infernals.. murderers, and the worst of all mankin 

all this for onb ring to the scripture concerning drink. He 

could \ Lch supercilious intolerance only with extreme indi 

nation. 

TESIPEKATS DEI1TKIKG THE BEST EXAMPLE. 

65. •• the Bible for our guide, we find there is no otl 
wa; ) perfect an example, as by one favoring a mode- 
rate use of an alcoholic beverage, and giving to God for the 
same. And since we all are in a measure our brother's keep- 
it beho t perfect ex. ie. 

66. Temperate drinking is not putting a stumbling block in the 
way of others. 1. Because no man ever stumbles by drinking 01 
moderately. 2. Xo man that follows th pie of a temperate 
drinker can become a drunkard, till he rom following 
example. 3. Following such example leads from intemperance : 
for soon as an ebriate commences to follow such example, he is no 
longer an ebriate. 4. It is doing jus ie Bible has taught us 

do. 5. If irsuade all people to follow .ample, 

all intemperance would cease. 6. This would put an end to all 
the sorrow rtion, and misery of innocent wives, children and 

all others, which is occasioned by intemperance. The great trouble 
is not because people follow said example, for that never would do 
harm; but it is because the; . Shall a man be 

condemned because others will not follow his exampl 

67. If mc irinking is leading people to drunkenness, then 
the scriptures which instruct us to moderate drinking are leading 
people to drunkenness. In the foregoing pages we have clearly 
shown that the Bible does so instruct us. 



16 

68. What leads people to drunkenness is simply a neglect of 
plain christian duties; a neglect to be "sober and watch unto 
prayer;" and thereby entering into temptation. No man can 
become intemperate till he neglects these duties. "He who takes 
the Book of God for the rule of his faith and practice can never go 
astray." "I say unto all, watch." 

A FATHEE'S BAD ADMONITION. 

69. Suppose a father has a son growing up, and being anxious 
for his son's welfare, and fearful that he will become intemperate, 
the father repeats to him the following declarations, which have 
been so often related by abstinent lecturers ; son, drink no alcoholic 
liquors, "they are all deadly poisons;" "they are the fire of hell 
and damnation;" "they never do any good;" "no person can 
drink them and be a christian;" all those who favor the vending 
and drinking of intoxicants " are infernals and murderers of both 
the souls and bodies of men;" "people ought never use them;" 
"drinking moderately is doing more harm than drunkenness;" 
"there can be no such thing as drinking intoxicants moderately." 
The son, when he comes to read and understand the scriptures, 
finds everyone of these, his father's statements, to be fallacious. 

70. When the son once learns that his father so practices deceit, 
in order to persuade him to moral behavior, the son then loses all 
faith in his father's counsel, and the latter has. lost all good influ- 
ence over his son ; and hence, by reason of the father's dissembling, 
the son will not thereafter give heed to his father's counsel. Some 
may have died drunkards from this cause. 

71. Now if the father had only spoken simple truth, as that 
fermented liquors are a great blessing when drank with thankful- 
ness and moderation, but be careful and avoid excess, for excess 
causes immense misery and crime, therefore be sober and watch 
unto prayer. Then, if afterward the son perchance verge towards 
ebriety, the father having been truthful, would have his son's con- 
fidence, and might counsel his son to good effect; and then also 
the father could in faith approach the throne of grace in his son's 
behalf, which in the former case he could not do. 

CAEELESS PULPIT EEEOES. 

72. The foregoing fallacious declarations have been, (through 
carelessness,) much iterated from the pulpit by ultra abstinents, 
to the great detriment of temperance, truth and righteousness. 
Note in particular the assertion, that " no person can be a christian 
who drinks intoxicating liquors," which is as opposite to truth as 
hell is to heaven. There are no better people found than some of 
those who drink a little fermented cider, wine or beer almost every 



17 

day. All the while that the high dignitaries of the churches 
are erroneously making the foregoing declarations, they are assum- 
ing to speak in the name of God ! How different is such preaching 
from the Bible direction, " teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you;" and " preach the word;" 
and "what thing soever I command you, observe to do it, thou 
shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it." 

73. One considerable evil of ultra abstinence is the teaching it 
in the sabbath schools, so that the children of temperates cannot 
enjoy the beneficial advantages of such schools without being dosed 
with the detestable anti-Bible doctrine, that " moderate drinking is 
sinful." In doing this the ultra abstinents have incurred a most 
fearful responsibility. 

OAEELESS D. D.'S PKEACHING. 

74. In an essay by a distinguished Rev. D. D. and ultra abstinent 
writer, we read, "the pulpit should ring out God's denunciations 
against strong drink till rum selling is as disgraceful as robbery 
and murder." Now this, like much of our opponents arguing, is 
all cheek and gas, and is swallowed by many of the common class 
as though it was about equal to gospel. 

75. There is not a denunciation against strong drink in the whole 
Bible; and it is astonishing that Rev. D. D.'s in high official 
station should so degrade their solemn calling as to corruptly 
endeavor to mislead people into a belief that there are such 
denunciations. No good cause ever needs untruth to maintain it. 
"Honesty is the best policy." "If any man shall add unto these 
things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this 
book." — Rev. xxii, 18. 

76. The indoctrinating of error by pagan priests makes it dis- 
graceful for their people to worship the true God; and it is by the 
same means that the abstinent pulpit would make it disgraceful to 
sell and drink alcoholic liquor. In both cases it is done by uniting 
church and state sufficiently to have it enforced by law. 

\ 

PUTTINQ THE BOTTLE. 

77. To prove the sale of liquors wrong, our opponents always 
present the words — " Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, 
that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunken also, that 
thou may est look on their nakedness." — Hab. ii, 15. In this case 
the liquor was given (not sold) for the fell purpose of making a 
person drunk, in order to defraud and injure him. And if there is 
anything which ought to call down the Almighty's vengeance, such 
conduct ought to and most assuredly will do it. But there is 
nothing in this text, nor in the whole Bible, against an honest sale 
of liquors any more than there is against the sale of honey. 



18 

PEBVEESION OP LIQUOES, 

78. All the mischief occasioned by an honest sale of unadul- 
terated liquors (and we are in favor of no other,) is through a 
perversion of their proper use. It is the same as if a man sells an 
ax, and the purchaser with it cuts down his neighbor's fruit trees ; 
or, as when a ship is sold for a commercial purpose, and it is per- 
verted from that business and devoted to piracy; or an apothecary 
dispenses proper medicine and it is perverted to an agent for a 
homicide. And so with intoxicants; they are manufactured and 
sold to be moderately used for the purchaser's benefit; and when 
only so used they do good. No evil arises from them except by 
their misuse. Nearly everything in itself good is, by perversion, 
made more or less to subserve evil. 

79. It is not denied but that the sale of liquors makes drunken- 
ness more easy, and, of course, that there is more drunkenness 
than if such liquors were not sold. Shall we therefore forbid the 
sale? No. For prohibition of the sale would prevent temperate 
people from obtaining the liquors for a good purpose, and it would 
also antagonize the sacred book. In that book we are taught that 
alcoholic liqaor is one of God's best gifts to man; and we have the 
direction, " drink thy wine," and much more of like import. The 
Supreme Being, who cannot err, (praised be His name,) far more 
facilitates drunkenness by causing the earth to bring forth such 
abundance of fruits so easily convertible into intoxicants. But the 
design in giving intoxicants was that they should be used with 
moderation, and never to intoxication; and this design cannot be 
fully carried out without the manufacture and sale. 

LICENSE. 

80. Prohibitionists affirm that a license to sell intoxicants is a 
license for making drunkards, and that those who favor the vending 
of intoxicants by license are responsible for all the evils of intem- 
perance arising from the misuse of intoxicants when so sold. 

81. We challenge our opponents to find in any state a statute 
law to license for any such vile purpose as making drunkards. 
There never was any such law. Licenses are granted with inten- 
tion to have liquors sold only honestly, for a use consistent with 
temperance and morals. Whenever liquors are sold to promote 
drunkenness, and whenever they are devoted to that purpose, it is 
always done in violation of law. But when a man manufactures 
or vends liquors in accord with uprightness and honesty, we can- 
not learn, from the Holy Book, wherein his business is any more 
immoral than that of selling tea and coffee. 

82. Laws for regulating the sale of liquors and the suppression 
of intemperance have from time to time been framed by upright 
christian men. But it is found impossible to make reasonable laws 
that will wholly prevent intemperance. It is the same mutatis 



19 

mutandis in reference to preventing theft, robbery, whoredom, &c. 
There will be bad men in spite of all laws. 

83. Any person who gives or sells liquors with design to make 
people drink to excess, or even manifests a willingness that they 
should so drink, or who sells them knowing the purchaser intends 
them for any criminal purpose, is in our opinion a fit candidate for 
confinement at labor in prison ; and every habitual drunkard, and 
every person who poisonously adulterates beverages, may justly 
share the same fate, and most so of all, the man who through 
intemperance abuses and impoverishes his family. 

PEOHIBITIOBT. 

84. Not unfrequently it is iterated by ultra abstinents that 
prohibitory liquor laws do not and are not intended to interfere 
with drinking. A very learned D. D., and distinguished editor of 
a leading religious newspaper, recently wrote concerning prohibition, 
in substance, that nobody has ever proposed any legislation to 
interfere by legal force with men's personal habits; u nor is there 
any thought of interfering with anybody's personal practices." 
Being repeated by so eminent a writer this is really marvelous. 
According to our understanding of language, a prohibitory liquor 
law is solely for decreasing the drinking of intoxicants, and such 
a law enforced is interfering by legal force with men's personal 
habits. If that is not the design of such a law, then what is it 
for? Prohibition entire of the sale of intoxicants, when enforced, 
prevents all people within the limits of such enforcement from 
drinking such intoxicants, except that portion of them who make 
their own. Would not prohibition of the sale of tea and coffee 
interfere with the drinking of them? Even the addition of a few 
cents to the duties on them so interfere as to create quite an excite- 
ment. If a prohibitory liquor law is not designed to interfere with 
drinking, to interfere by legal force with men's personal habits, 
by disenabling them to obtain liquor, then there is no honest 
design in enacting the law. 

85. The unrighteous and untruthful efforts brought into requi- 
sition to obtain prohibitory liquor laws have been prolific of 
discord and estrangement among christians, without adequate com- 
pensating benefit ; and w T here such laws have existed they have 
generally most signally failed to accomplish the great reform 
anticipated. Common-sense well informed people conscientiously 
believe that entire prohibition laws are unrighteous, being antago- 
nistic to the true spirit of the Bible. Therefore such laws become 
very demoralizing. Not a few eminent christian abstinents acknow- 
ledge that enacting such laws is not the best manner of advancing 
the temperance cause. Probably the money and labor expended 
to obtain and execute such laws have not resulted in a tithe of the 



20 

real good, that the same amount of money and labor would have 
accomplished by earnest and truthful moral suasion. 

MUST WATCH. 

86. Thousands of good temperate people, living in the midst of 
inebriates and drinking places, are no more inclined to ebriety, 
than if there were no inebriates or drinking places near, for the 
reason that they possess good moral principle and watch against 
evil habits. There is nothing so prolific of evil habits as unneces- 
sarily associating with bad company. People who eschew bad 
company are safe from bad habits, while they try to conform to 
moral rectitude, and they are safe in no other way. Moral recti- 
tude includes the all-important New Testament injunction to "watch." 
No pledge or other safeguard will allow a person to neglect 
"watching." These remarks apply to every kind of vice. 

JUST MEANS ONLY MAY BE USED. 

87. Intemperance is such a giant monster that every reasonable 
means should be brought into requisition which can be made effec- 
tive to prevent or curtail its banefulness. We say reasonable, and 
not by such unreasonable means as entire prohibition, for this would 
be "an antidote worse than the disease." 

88. It is a duty to contribute money for benevolent purposes, 
but it is not admissible to rob and steal to get the money. Money 
is much misused, and "the love of money is the root of all evil," 
but it would be great folly to, on that account, throw all the 
precious metals into the sea. Many curse, swear and lie, but 
nobody would think it best to cut out every person's tongue to 
prevent such use of language, and hence on the same principle we 
ought not to adopt the iniquitous scheme of an entire prohibitory 
liquor law, because intoxicants are by perversion rendered the agent 
of drunkenness. 

89. Prohibitionists would procure such a law, regardless of the 
word of God, which gives the same liberty to purchase both strong 
wine and strong drink that it does to purchase oxen and sheep. — 
Deut. xiv, 26 ; Num. xviii, 7. And regardless of all the scriptures 
which teach us to drink those liquors, and that they are one of the 
greatest blessings bestowed on mankind. — See Gen. xiv, 18; xxvii, 
28: xlix, 11, 12; Num. xviii, 12; Deut. xv, 14; xxxiii, 28; 2 
Sam. vi, 19; Neh. v, 18; Ps. civ, 15; Ecc. viii, 15; ix, 7; Isa. 
xxv, 6 ; Hos. ii, 8 ; John ii, 3-10. 

ENFOfiCE GOOD LAWS. 

90. While any law would be execrable that prevented good moral 
people from obtaining intoxicating liquor for temperate drinking, 
yet there are other ways by which intemperance and its sequent 



21 

evils can be greatly lessened. First and best is moral suasion in a 
spirit of love and kindness, and with a due regard for the rights of 
all people. Second, by inflicting adequate punishment upon all 
drunkards, and those who adulterate liquors, and upon all who abet 
drunkenness. Third, by enforcing existing laws. 

91. A law preventing the sale of liquors in quantities less than 
one quart, and then not to be drank near the place of sale, would 
greatly check intemperance and vice. So also would even a law 
preventing the manufacture, vending and drinking of distilled 
liquors. We do not pretend to say whether either of the two last 
mentioned would be or not be advisable, but they would be far 
preferable to entire prohibition. 

BIBLE EXPOSITOES CRIMINATED. 

92. The charge made by the abstinents against the temperates 
that they are infernals — the worst of all the wicked, and therefore 
liable to the most extreme damnation — involves the old christian 
Bible expositors in the same awful doom, for they taught the same 
doctrine of moderate drinking. 

VIEWS OP BIBLE EXPOSITOES. 

93. Rev. Dr. T. Scott says, "to man He (God) giveth all things 
richly to enjoy; not only bringing food out of the earth, but wine 
and oil for his exhilaration and pleasure/ ' — Com. on Ps. civ, 15. 

94. Rev. Dr. Joseph Benson wrote, "wine is one of the most 
excellent liquors which the earth, through divine providence, pro- 
duces for the use of mankind;'' . . . "wine moderately used allays 
men's cares and fears and cheers the spirits." — Benson's Com. 

95. Rev. Dr. Adam Clarke wrote, "wine in moderate quantities 
has a wondrous tendency to revive and invigorate the human being, 
. . . wine . . . exhilarates and invigorates, ... it makes him 
cheerful and provides for the continuance of that cheerfulness, 
strengthening the muscles and bracing the nerves." Of wine, 
bread and oil, he says, "heavy taxes on these necessaries of life 
are taxes on life itself." "Wine . . . taken in strict moderation 
is friendly both to the body and mind of man." " God gives every 
man in the course of His providence the necessaries of life, and 
it ija His will that he should thankfully receive them, . . . without 
them his life cannot subsist, and earthly blessings are as truly the 
portion of his body and animal life, as the salvation of God is the 
portion of the soul." — Clarke's Com. 

AGEEEIUG WITH THE OOMMENTATOES. 

96. We have said nothing in these pages, more strongly in 
favor of drinking an alcoholic beverage, than is contained in the 
foregoing extracts from those good old Bible commentaries. Why 



22 

should people who endeavor to live by the Bible rule be now, any- 
more than then, denied liberty of conscience and private interpre- 
tation of the scriptures, and in addition be continually showered 
with sarcastic invective ? 

97. The meeting of the evangelical alliance in New York, (now 
some two years since,) was an advance movement in christian love 
and fellowship; but no sooner had the delegates closed their 
session, than the newspaper writers, in the interest of ultra absti- 
nents, w r ere upbraiding them, because they had not discussed the 
disturbing element of prohibition; and when some of them drank 
the president's health in a glass of wine, those writers considered 
it a great immorality. Ultra abstinents had united with those 
delegates in sweet fellowship in partaking of the holy eucharist, 
yet, when like good sensible people, those delegates drank a glass 
of wine to the health of our honored chief magistrate, behold, how 
suddenly, (in the eyes of those ultras,) they deserved reproach. 
How inconsistent! 

98. We are pointed to our great manumission of slaves as evi- 
dence in favor of total prohibition. Though we live in an age of 
reform, yet let it be remembered that change is not always reform; 
as respecting slavery it was reform — as it respects prohibition it is 
not reform. 

99. In manumitting the slaves, (except in the manner of doing 
it,) it was inclining to a conformity with holy writ. While pro- 
hibition is non-comformity with holy writ, is direct antagonism to 
it. Such slavery as we had never was right ; temperate drinking 
w r as always right. Our abolition of slavery shows no more justifi- 
cation for liquor prohibition, than it does for the infamous conduct 
of Boss Tweed. There is no analogy between freeing the slaves 
and prohibition. 

ABSTINENTS DECEIVING. 

100. Ultra abstinents are prone to handle the scriptures in a 
deceptive manner. They take a part of Solomon's words and a 
part of St. Paul's words, and from them deduce and inculcate a 
temperance doctrine, quite inimical to what the whole Bible or the 
whole of Solomon's' and St. Paul's writings truly teach. Look 
through all the publications of the various teetotal societies and you 
will not find one of them which urges the observance of " drink thy 
wine with a merry heart," and such other passages of scripture 
as most instruct us to drink an alcoholic beverage. Those texts 
the abstinents generally pass unnoticed. 

SHOULD TAKE THE WHOLE BIBLE. 

101. Ultra abstinents cannot teach the whole counsel of God 
about intoxicants, because the Bible is so manifestly in favor of 



23 

moderate drinking, that in upholding both holy writ and prohibition 
they would be completely stultified. A civil court treating testi- 
mony in a similar manner would be detested. The scriptures relative 
to drinking are plain, and there is no ultra abstinence in them. 

102. When we form an opinion on any important point of Bible 
doctrine, we should take into consideration all the scripture directly 
bearing on that point, and should give each passage its proportionate 
weight, so that they may all harmonize with the general doctrine 
of the Bible. This our opponents, it appears, neglect to do. Let 
the w r hole honest truth come out. 

103. If, on our part, we should take those passages which most 
instruct in favor of drinking intoxicants and construe them to be 
a license for intoxication, then it might be said of us that we cared 
very little for the doctrines of the Bible. Yet this would be no 
more erroneous than our opponents teaching the other extreme, 
that moderate drinking is sinful. All shuffling and perversion of 
scripture should be avoided; " thou shalt not add thereto nor 
diminish from it." 

ULTEA ABSTINENCE IS NEW. 

104. That all making, vending and drinking of an alcoholic 
beverage is sinful, is a theory antagonistic to the sentiment and 
practice of godly people in all post-diluvian ages. It is a new 
device, originated in this nineteenth century by mistaken enthusiasts: 
a new "Lo, here is Christ, or there;" it is "ordinances . . . 
after the commandments and doctrines of men," which the Apostle 
says, "touch not, taste not, handle not." — Col. ii, 20, 21. What- 
ever constituted temperance a hundred or a thousand years ago 
constitutes temperance now. 

SHOULD GUAKD AGAINST NEW CHIMEEAS. 

105. The Lord does not change the code of morals and religion 
according to the freaks and fancies of men. This code is the same 
to-day that it has been ever since the apostolic age ; hence it is 
our duty to guard against the numberless new delusive chimeras of 
vain theorists and follow the counsel of the apostles. " Beware of 
false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing." "Beware, 
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit." "Let 
no man deceive you with vain words." "Mark them which cause 
divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have 
learned, and avoid them." "Ask for the old paths * . . and walk 
therein." 

INTOLEBANCE. 

106. Prohibitionists appear to be taking the incipient steps for 
uniting Church and State. They are clamorous for laws containing 



24 

the germ of persecution. While temperate people were peaceably 
living in the same belief and practice regarding liquors as the 
Christians of the past eighteen centuries, the said temperates have 
been pounced upon by ultra abstinents as a wolf or an eagle 
pounces upon a lamb. This spirit of intolerance (if not checked) 
may yet become so intensified and developed^ that there will arise 
men who, like Dominic and Jefferies, will be glad to hurry their 
victims to inquisitorial torture and death. We do not expect any 
such thing; but a law entirely prohibiting the sale of alcoholic 
beverages, in addition to all the other bitter treatment of abstinents 
against temperates, would be a great stride towards it. Contrast 
this with our course ; we simply defend the Bible, defend ourselves, 
and mind our own business. 

107. In the rise and progress of the great reformation in the 
sixteenth century the lives of some fifty millions of people are said 
to have been sacrificed in defense of the principles we advocate, 
namely, the right of private interpretation of the scriptures, and 
of private judgment in all matters of conscience. Our opponents 
(if we understand them) are determined temperate drinkers shall 
not enjoy that right. We do not impugn the motive of our oppo- 
nents, but we believe them in monstrous error. 



CONCLUSION. 

108. In conclusion, to sum up all in few words, we find the Bible 
allows all mankind to eat and drink anything the earth produces, 
either in its natural, raw, transformed or cooked state, as may be 
their choice, (including alcoholic liquors, tea, coffee, opium and 
tobacco, &c.,) so far as they can make such eating and drinking 
contribute to their health and enjoyments, with this proviso : That 
it is not allowable for any one to eat, drink, nor do anything so as 
to unnecessarily injure himself nor any other person ; and that all 
this is consistent with drinking moderately of intoxicants. 

109. When the cares and strifes of life are over, and all passion 
and turmoil have ceased ; when we stand before the great final 
Judge, and our life's work is reviewed ; then, 0, how delighted we 
shall be, if against all opposition we have firmly adhered to righteous- 
ness ; and then how like nothing, and less than nothing, will appear 
all that has been endured in this life for such adherence, in com- 
parison with the glorious bliss of heaven. This being the case to 
this end, " whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, 
do all to the glory of God." 

110. In the commencement of these pages " I said — I also will 
show mine opinion;" and now, having shown it, I pray that it may 
be for the good of mankind and for the glory of God; and to Him 
be everlasting praise* 



INDEX. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS «•! 

~ iiiiiiinn 1 

029 827 179 5 ! 



Section. Page 

1-7 Introduction, * 3 

8-11 Woes to drunkards, 4 

12-14 Fermented liquors allowed, 4 

15-17 Wine for tithes and offerings, 5 

18 Wine drank by Nehemiah, 5 

19 Wine on the lees, 5 

20 Wine in bottles, 6 

21 Wine for priests, 6 

22 Wine for Nazarites, 6 

23 Wine, David's, 6 

24, 25 Wine for passover, 7 

26-28 Wine leavened, 7 

29-31 Bible reliable, 8 

32-35 Tirosh, yayin, shecar, 8 

38 Eshishah, 9 

37 Fermentation purifies, 10 

38-40 Butler's dream, , , 10 

41-43 God ferments liquors, 11 

44 Wine of dragons, 11 

45-48 Wine a mocker, 11 

49-50 Wine not a poison, .., 12 

51-54 Liebig on liquors, 12 

55 Wells on liquors, 13 

56-64 St. Paul's advice, . . . , 13 

65-68 Temperate drinking a good example, 15 

69-71 A father's bad advice, 16 

72, 73 Careless pulpit errors, , 16 

74-76 Careless D. D.'s preaching, 17 

77 Putting the bottle, 17 

78, 79 Perversion of liquors, 18 

80-83 License, 18 

84, 85 Prohibition, 19 

86 On watching, . 20 

87-89 Just means only should be used against intemperance,.- 20 

90, 91 Enforce good laws, 20 

92 Bible expositors criminated, 21 

93-96 Views of Bible expositors, 21 

97 Evangelical alliance and prohibition, 22 

98,99 Slavery and prohibition, 22 

100 Abstinents deceiving, 22 

101 Abstinents inconsistency, 22 

102, 103 The whole Bible for doctrine, 23 

104 Ultra abstinence is new, » 23 

105 Guard against new chimeras, , 23 

108, 107 Abstinents' intolerance, 23 

108-110 Conclusion, 24 



